Initial Imaging Modality

Management and Outcomes

Type A

Surgical: 72%

Medical: 28%

Total Mortality: 34.9%

Type B

Surgical: 20%

Medical: 80%

Total Mortality: 14.9%

Criticisms & Further Discussion

It is unclear how much of the information was obtained prospectively versus retrospectively. As with any retrospective study, there are inherent limitations when using abstracted chart review data, which include, but are not limited to poor documentation and limited abstraction when different phrasing is used.

Since the study was conducted only at high volume referral sites, the data may not be applicable to the general community.

Only patients who were alive at the time of the diagnosis were studied.

Aortic dissection is a dynamic presentation and some of the more "classic" findings may have developed later in the hospital course.